Pet feeder

ABSTRACT

A pet feeder includes a base and a lid, the base defining a bowl and the lid defining a reservoir. The base and lid are connected by a hinge, such that the lid can be retained in an open position. Solid food or liquid flows from the reservoir, through a valve, into the bowl. In the case of liquid, the supply of liquid in the bowl is continuously replenished due to the flow of liquid, by gravity, into the bowl. In another embodiment, the feeder may include a single base and separate bowls and separate lids, so that the feeder may provide both solid food and liquid simultaneously. When the lid is closed, the pet feeder becomes a compact structure that can be easily stored and transported.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the field of caring for pets, andprovides an apparatus for automatically supplying liquids or solid foodto a pet.

Pet owners continually face the problem of how to care for their pets onautomobile trips or vacations. The members of a family may wish to bringtheir pets with them on an automobile trip, or on an all-day outing.Upon reaching their destination, the family members may want to pursuevarious recreational activities, leaving the pet to play by itself, andmay not want to worry about feeding the pet.

Also, the requirement of caring for a pet increases the number of itemsthat must be remembered and packed before the trip. The pet owners mustpack not only a supply of food and water, but also at least two bowlsfrom which the pet can eat and drink. When on a trip or vacation, theremay be many items to bring, and the above-described pet feeding itemsmay add to an already long list. Moreover, the equipment needed forcaring for the pet may take up scarce space in a vehicle.

The present invention makes it easier to travel or vacation with a pet,by providing a simple, compact, and convenient device that not onlystores solid food and/or water, but which also automatically supplies apet with liquids, solid food, or both, at the destination. The feeder ofthe present invention can be easily stored and transported in a closedcondition, yet quickly opened when needed for dispensing food or water.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises a pet feeder which dispenses solid foodor liquid, or both, to a pet, especially in the absence of the petowner. In one preferred embodiment, the feeder includes a base portionwhich has a bowl, and a lid portion defining a reservoir, the baseportion and the lid portion being connected by a hinge. A passageway orconduit connects the reservoir to the bowl. The hinge preferablyincludes a detent arrangement which holds the lid portion firmly ineither an opened or a closed position.

The pet feeder preferably includes a valve which controls the flow ofsolid food or liquid out of the reservoir. For the embodiment intendedto dispense liquid, the passageway includes a tube which conducts liquidfrom the reservoir and through the valve, and into an outlet pipedisposed within the bowl. The end of the outlet pipe is spaced apartfrom the bottom of the bowl, and this spacing determines the depth ofliquid in the bowl. As long as the valve is open, and as long as thereis liquid in the reservoir, the pet feeder will, due to gravity,maintain a predetermined supply of liquid at the bottom of the bowl.

For the embodiment intended to dispense solid food, the base portion ispreferably constructed with a chute that channels the food exiting thereservoir into the bowl.

The pet feeder can also be constructed so that it dispenses either orboth of solid food and liquid. In this embodiment, the base portionincludes separate bowls for solid food and liquid, and there are twoindividually operable lids, with separate reservoirs for holding solidfood and liquid. Both sections of the pet feeder in this embodimentfunction in a manner similar to corresponding components of the previousembodiments.

The pet feeder preferably includes a cut-out in the lid portion, thecut-out serving as a handle when the lid is closed. The pet feeder cantherefore be conveniently transported by holding it by the handle. Also,the lid may include a recess that facilitates manual gripping of the lidwhen it is desired to open the feeder.

The present invention therefore has the primary object of providing apet feeder.

The invention has the further object of providing apparatus whichautomatically dispenses liquids, such as water, to a pet, in the absenceof the pet owner.

The invention has the further object of providing a convenient petfeeder which stores solid food, and which also provides a bowl fromwhich a pet may eat.

The invention has the further object of providing a compact and portablepet feeder.

The invention has the further object of providing a pet feeder whichintegrates a solid food or liquid reservoir and a bowl, such that thefood or water and the bowl need not be carried separately.

The invention has the further object of providing a pet feeder whichprovides convenient means for draining liquid from the bowl when the petfeeder is to be moved.

The invention has the further object of providing a pet feeder whichdispenses either or both of solid food and liquid.

The invention has the further object of providing a method of dispensingsolid food and/or liquid to a pet, especially in the absence of the petowner.

The reader skilled in the art will recognize other objects andadvantages of the invention, from a reading of the following briefdescription of the drawings, the detailed description of the invention,and the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 provides a perspective view, taken from the front, of the petfeeder of the present invention, with the lid in the open position.

FIG. 2 provides a perspective view of the pet feeder of the presentinvention, using a dotted outline to indicate the water level in thereservoir located in the lid.

FIG. 3 provides a perspective view, taken from the rear, of the petfeeder of the present invention.

FIG. 4 provides a perspective view, showing the side and rear of the petfeeder of the present invention, the feeder being in the closedposition.

FIG. 5 provides a perspective view showing the side and front of the petfeeder of the present invention, the feeder being in the closedposition.

FIG. 6 provides a side elevational view of the pet feeder of the presentinvention, the feeder being in the closed position.

FIG. 7 provides an exploded fragmentary perspective view, showing thestructure of the hinges used in the pet feeder of the present invention.

FIG. 8 provides a fragmentary, cut-away perspective view, showing thefluid connections used to supply water to a pet, in the pet feeder ofthe present invention.

FIG. 9 provides a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of theinvention which is intended to dispense solid food.

FIG. 10 provides a perspective view of another alternative embodimentwherein the pet feeder can dispense either or both of solid food andliquid.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 provides a perspective view showing the pet feeder of the presentinvention, in its opened condition. The embodiment shown is intended forstoring and dispensing liquid, such as water, to a pet.

Pet feeder 1 comprises a base 3 and a lid 5, the base and the lid beingconnected by hinge 7. A bowl 9 is preferably defined by the base. Alsoformed in the base is a valve 11 which can be manually turned on or off.The valve allows water, or other liquid, to flow from a reservoir formedin the lid, into the bowl, through outlet pipe 13. Groove 15, which isformed in the base and extends to the edge of the bowl, allows unusedwater to drain from the bowl when the lid is closed and the unit isabout to be moved. Recess 16 comprises a cut-out at one end of the lid,and makes it easy to open the lid manually by grasping the end of thelid.

As shown in FIG. 1, the outlet pipe 13 terminates at a position that isspaced apart from the bottom of the bowl 9. The height of the end of theoutlet pipe, relative to the bottom of the bowl, determines the level ofliquid in the bowl. Once the liquid level reaches and covers the end ofthe pipe, there will exist a hydrostatic equilibrium, and no furtherliquid will flow into the bowl until enough liquid has been consumed orevaporated that the liquid level again falls below the end of the pipe.The length of the pipe can be selected so as to determine theequilibrium depth of the liquid in the bowl. It has been found that mostanimals do not care about the depth of the liquid, as long as there isenough liquid available for drinking. Thus, it is preferred to make thepipe sufficiently long that it extends almost to the bottom of the bowl,so as to minimize the amount of liquid that is in the bowl at any onetime.

FIG. 2 shows another perspective view of the open pet feeder, the figureshowing, in dotted outline, the liquid level 17 in the reservoir. Thereservoir may occupy substantially all, or only a part of, the spacewithin the lid. The greater the proportion of space occupied by thereservoir, the longer the pet feeder can continuously supply liquid to apet.

FIG. 3 provides a perspective view of the opened pet feeder, showing theback of the lid 5. This figure shows fill plug 19, which can be removedto provide access to the reservoir, allowing a user to pour liquid intothe reservoir. A cut-out 21, formed in the lid, defines a handle whichmakes it easy to carry the feeder, in the closed position.

FIG. 4 shows the pet feeder in the closed position, and more clearlyillustrates how the cut-out 21 can function as a handle. FIG. 5 alsoshows the pet feeder in the closed position, but from a differentviewpoint. FIG. 5 clearly shows the groove 15, which, when the lid isclosed, becomes disposed within recess 16. FIG. 5 makes it clear thatwhen the feeder is lifted by the handle defined by cut-out 21, thegroove will point generally downward, and will drain water from thebowl. FIG. 5 also illustrates the fact that the lid may be opened bygrasping the lid, at the location of recess 16, and lifting the lid. Therecess therefore defines a convenient handgrip for opening the lid.

FIG. 6 provides a side elevational view of the pet feeder in the closedposition. This figure shows that, in the preferred embodiment, thefeeder defines a structure of generally rectangular cross-section whenin the closed position. Thus, the pet feeder of the present inventionprovides a compact structure that is easy to store and transport.

FIG. 7 shows the construction and operation of the hinges 7, byillustrating the base and lid portions in an exploded view. As shown inFIG. 7, the hinges include one or more male detents 23 which mate withrecesses formed in base 3. The hinges 7 are positioned such that theysnugly grasp the base, so that when the lid is opened by pivoting itabout the hinges, the detents snap into the various recesses. Thus, thelid can be placed either in the open position or the closed position,and the lid will be firmly held, by the detents, in either of thesepositions. Other kinds of hinge and/or detent constructions could beused instead, within the scope of the invention.

FIG. 8 provides a cut-away perspective view showing the internal fluidconnections of the pet feeder of the present invention. The hinge 7,including its male detents, is hollow, and its hollow interiorcommunicates with the reservoir in the lid 5. Tube 27 connects theinterior of the hinge with valve 11, allowing liquid to flow from thereservoir into the bowl 9.

FIG. 9 provides a perspective view of another embodiment which isintended to dispense solid food. In the embodiment of FIG. 9, valve 29is located on lid 31. The lid defines a reservoir, similar to that ofthe previously described embodiment, and the reservoir holds solid food.Preferably, the solid food is relatively granular, so that it can flowout of the reservoir like a liquid, under the influence of gravity. Thevalve is preferably constructed so as to dispense a measured amount offood. The valve may be of a type similar to that used for dispensingcereals and the like in restaurants, cafeterias, and motels, wherein thevalve comprises a rotating member that captures a measured amount offood and transfers it to the bowl. However, the invention is not limitedby the specific structure of the valve, and other valve constructionscould be used instead.

Manual rotation of valve 29 causes the solid food to flow out of thereservoir and through opening 33, from which it falls onto chute 35,which carries the food into bowl 37. The angle made by the chute,relative to the horizontal, is chosen to be large enough thatsubstantially all of the food will slide into the bowl, by gravity.

Except for the components that relate specifically to liquids, theremaining components of the feeder shown in FIG. 9 are similar to thoseof the previously described embodiment.

The embodiment of FIG. 9 differs from that of FIG. 1 in that it cannotcontinuously dispense food in the absence of the pet owner. Food is onlydispensed, in discrete amounts, when the user rotates the valve 29. Inthe embodiment of FIG. 1, as long as the valve 11 is open, the liquidwill be continuously replenished, provided that there is liquidremaining in the reservoir.

The operation of the pet feeder of the present invention can besummarized as follows. In the case of the the embodiment of FIG. 1,dealing with the dispensing of water or other liquids, the liquid ispoured into the reservoir through the fill plug, though the valve isstill in the closed position. The feeder is transported to the locationwhere it is to be set down for the pet. If the feeder is to betransported a long distance, it is convenient to close the lid so as tomake the feeder more compact during transport. The feeder is then setdown and the lid opened. The valve is opened, and liquid flows out ofthe reservoir, to a level determined by the position of the end of theoutlet pipe.

When it is desired to transport the feeder again, the user closes thevalve, closes the lid, and lifts the feeder by the handle, allowingresidual liquid to drain from the bowl through the groove. The feedermay now be transported, even if there is some liquid remaining in thereservoir.

The embodiment of FIG. 9 can be used in a similar manner, except thatthe user may need to replenish the food supply periodically, byoperating the valve.

The embodiments of FIGS. 1 and 9 can be effectively combined into oneunit. FIG. 10 provides a perspective view of one possible version ofthis arrangement. In FIG. 10, a single base 41 defines separate bowlsfor solid food and for water. The device includes two distinct lids,identified by reference numerals 43 and 45. Only one of the bowls 47 isvisible in the figure; the other bowl is hidden by lid 45 which is shownin its closed position. The lids are preferably constructed to beseparately openable, either by swiveling horizontally, or by raising andlowering the lids in the manner depicted in FIG. 1. The construction andoperation of each half of the device of FIG. 10 can be otherwise similarto those of the embodiments described above. In both halves, there mustbe some kind of passageway connecting the reservoir in the lid with itscorresponding bowl. For example, if the right-hand side, represented bylid 45, is intended to dispense liquid, then lid 45 would define aliquid reservoir, and there could be a tube, valve, and outlet pipe, notvisible in FIG. 10 but similar to those described with respect toFIG. 1. Similarly, if the left-hand side, represented by lid 43 is usedto dispense solid food, there could be a valve, lid opening, and chute,not shown in FIG. 10 but similar to those described with respect to FIG.9. Thus, the embodiment of FIG. 10 uses separate passageways, similar tothose described for the previous embodiments, connecting the reservoirsin the lids to their corresponding bowls.

Both halves of the embodiment of FIG. 10 may be used simultaneously. Itis also possible to keep one lid closed, and use the device fordispensing only solid food, or only liquid.

The invention can be modified in other ways. Instead of using a bowlwhich is integrally formed with, or defined by, the base, it is possibleto provide a separate bowl that fits in a corresponding space formed inthe base. The bowl could extend vertically above the base, in which caseit would be necessary to provide a recess in the lid to accommodate thebowl when the lid is closed. One disadvantage of the latter arrangementis that it reduces the space available in the lid for use as areservoir. Also, since the bowl is a separate component, the latterarrangement requires that the pet owner keep track of one additionalitem.

In another alternative construction, the bowl could be separate from thebase, yet permanently or semi-permanently attached thereto.

In the embodiments of FIGS. 1 and 9, the base and lid have generallytrapezoidal cross-sections which, when the lid is closed, togetherdefine a generally rectangular cross-section as shown in FIG. 6. Othershapes could be used instead, and the cross-section of the feeder in itsclosed position need not be rectangular. In particular, in theembodiment of FIG. 10, the base itself has a generally rectangularcross-section, and the lids have cross-sections that are generallyellipsoidal. The cross-section of the closed feeder, taken as a whole,is irregular, but still compact and convenient for transporting. Thus,the invention should not be deemed limited by the specific shape of thebase and the lid.

All of the above modifications, and others which will be apparent to thereader skilled in the art, should be considered within the spirit andscope of the following claims.

1-23. (canceled)
 24. A pet feeder comprising: a) a base portionincluding a bowl, b) a lid portion defining a reservoir, and c) anopening formed in the lid portion, and d) a chute formed in the baseportion, wherein the opening is positioned in proximity with the chutesuch that material exiting the lid portion through the opening passesinto the chute.
 25. The pet feeder of claim 24, wherein the chute isoriented to allow material in the chute to fall by gravity into thebowl.
 26. A pet feeder for dispensing solid food material, comprising:a) a base defining a bowl, b) a lid having a reservoir disposed withinthe lid, the lid having an opening, c) the base and the lid beingconnected by hinges which permit the lid to retain an open positionrelative to the base, and d) a chute formed in the base, the chute beingpositioned adjacent the opening such that solid food material exitingthe lid through the opening can fall onto the chute.
 27. The pet feederof claim 26, wherein the lid includes a valve which controls a flow ofsolid food material out of the reservoir and through the opening. 28.The pet feeder of claim 26, wherein the hinges include a male detent anda corresponding recess.
 29. A pet feeder comprising: a) a base portionincluding a bowl, b) a lid portion defining a reservoir, and c) a chuteformed in the bowl, wherein the base portion and the lid portion areconnected by a hinge such that the lid portion can be pivoted towardsthe base portion, to assume a closed position, and wherein the baseportion and the lid portion are shaped complementarily such that, whenthe lid portion is in the closed position, the base portion and lidportion abut each other in a non-nesting relationship, and wherein thebase portion and lid portion together define a compact structure havinga generally rectangular cross-section.
 30. The pet feeder of claim 29,wherein the bowl is integrally formed in the base portion.
 31. The petfeeder of claim 29, wherein the hinge includes a detent which allows thelid portion to retain an open position relative to the base portion. 32.The pet feeder of claim 29, wherein the lid portion includes a cut-outcomprising a handle, such that the pet feeder can be manually carried bythe handle when the lid portion is in the closed position.
 33. The petfeeder of claim 29, wherein the lid portion includes a recess which iscapable of being manually gripped so as to open the lid portion.